Envelope flap moistener and sealing device



y 23, 1933- I w. H. BRYSON 1,910,677

ENVELOPE FLAP MOISTENER AND SEALING DEVICE Filed July 2.0, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v gwventoz /Maw May 23, 1933. w. H. BRYSON ENVELOPE FLAP MOISTENER AND SEALING DEVICE Filed July 20, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 u L a Q 05 N o 0 N N w l I N 0 I *1 i; & l sg 1* Q N N I 3x & Y Syn wanton Q 71 717. fir ysoiv,

attouwq May 23, 1933.

w. H. BRYSON ENVELOPE FLAP MOISTENER AND SEALING DEVICE I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 20, 1931 Patented May 23, 1933 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM H. BRYSON, OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA ENVELOPE FLA]? MOISTENER .AND SEALING DEVICE Application filed July 20,

The present invention relates :more particularly to a hand operated devicecthat will quickly moisten the adhesive of an envelope flap, and after such moistening, can be em- {'5 p10 ed for sealing the envelope.

The object is to provide a device of this character that is simple in construction, can be easily made, and is entirely effective for the above purposes.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure '1 is a plan view of a :preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is-a front-elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is an end View.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line fl;'4: of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional View on the line 55 of Figure 4:.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view ofthe 320 liquid font, pad holder and flap raising de- Figure 7 is a plan viewof anoth-erembodiment of the invention.

Figure 8 is a view in elevation of the struc- 525 ture'o'f Figure 7 witha'part in section.

Figure 9 is a cross sectional view on the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is ahorizontal'sectional view-on the line -10'1O of Figure9.

In the structure disclosed in Figures -1 to 6 inclusive, a carrier frame is provided consisting of two yokes 7 and 8 arranged end to end.

' This frame, as shown. is constructed of wire. The yoke 7 has a twistedcentral portion 9 forming a connection with a loop 10 thatcon-stitute's an operating handle. From this twisted portion '9 oppositely extending portions 11 terminate in depending yoke 5 arms 12. The other yoke 8 is higher than the yoke 7, and consists of a sidearm :13havinga longitudinal rod portion 14 that lies alongside one of the portions 11 and is soldered, as shown at 15, or otherwisesuitably secured thereto.

The other or outer arm 16 of the yoke 8 is located in depending relation and has fastened thereto a vertical clasp 17 that is U- shape in cross section. The lower end of this clasp supports a reservoir or font- 18, and

1931. Serial no. 552,046.

as shown in Figure 6, the clasp provides a channel 19 which is in communication through an opening 20 with the font 18, said .font having a suitable filling opening 21 through its top. The clasp 17 embraces a 55. moistening pad or wick 22 that is'thus located within the lower portion ofthe yoke'8 and faces the adjacent arm 112-ofthe yoke 7. The wickor pad 22 extends into the reservoir, as shown in Figure '4, so that it will absorb the 60. liquid placed therein, and by capillary 'attraction this water will obviously keep the upright portion of the pad in moistened con dition.

The font 18 furthermore has secured to the rear corner of its inner end a forward- 1y extending flap-lifting finger 23 having a .free forwardly extending end that isbent to an inclined position and projecting beyond the front side of the font. The adjacent arm 12 of the yoke 7 has its lower'end bowed forwardly, as shown at 2 1, and is inclined away from the finger 23 (see Figure 2'). It then extends rearwardly and outwardly in the form of a loop '25 which as shown in Figure 1 lies behind the moistening pad 22. This loop is elevated and has a depending front arm 26 terminating in a gudgeon 27. The other arm 12 terminates at its lower end in an inset gudgeon 28. On thesegudgeons is journaled 39 a roller 29 preferably having a resilient cover 30. It will be noted that the lower face of the roller is in a plane below the bottom of the font 18 so that when said roller rests upon a surface, the font is elevated above such surface.

The device is used as follows: Anenvelope to be sealed is placed with the corner of its flap as shown in Figure 1, and thedevice is drawn forwardly though the operation if desired may be reversed. That is to say the envelope may be moved rearwardly. In'either event the relative movement of the device and envelope will cause the finger 23 to pass under the flap and raise it,'so that it will enter the yoke 8. Consequently the gummed faceof the envelope is caused to-contact with and be drawn over the pad 22 so that the adhesive is moistened. This contact is made firm by reason of the loop 25, which as will be clear by reference to Figure 1, will cause the flap to be bent around the pad 22. In this operation, it will be evident that the roller 30 is acting as a movable support for the device so that it will traverse the envelope easily and carry the font 18 over the same. When the envelope has been passed, it is only necessary to turn the device slightly and move it rearwardly, whereupon the roller will ride over the flap, pressing it down on the body of the envelope and sealing said envelope.

In the form of construction shown in Figures 7-10 inclusive, the main frame or yoke is stamped from sheet metal and is in the form of a back bar 31 having a central offset shank 32 carrying a handle 33. The back bar has depending yoke arms 34 and 35, the latter being broader than the former. Journaled to and between these arms is a roller 36 having a yielding casing 37.

A smaller yoke 38 that lies alongside the arm 35 is tubular in form and is carried by the bar 31, being connected thereto by a bracket 39. The outer leg 40 of the yoke 38 supports a font or reservoir 41 having a removable cover 42 the yoke leg being secured to the side wall of the font and depending within the same.) The other depending leg 43 of the yoke 33 has its outer side cut-away as shown at 44. In the yoke 38 is a wick 45, one end being in the container, the other end portion being exposed in the cut-away portion 44.

The depending yoke arm 35 is longitudinally slitted as shown to provide a central finger 46 on which one end of the roller 37 is journaled, a front depending bar 47 and rear depending bar 48. The bar 47 is in opposition to a flap lifting finger 49 carried a depending bracket 50 secured at its upper end to the bar 31. said finger preferably havits rear end fastened to the lower end of the leg 43 of the yoke 38. The lower end of the bar 48 is deflected outwardly and rearwardly behind the exposed portion of the wick as shown at 51. V

This structure is used as the other and it will be evident has many features in common though differing in structural details. After the sealer is placed in position, when it is drawn forwardly parallel to the edge of the envelope, the flap will be elevated by the finger 49 and guided so that the gummed face will be brought against the exposed face of the wick 45 and thereby moistened, proper contact being obtained by the rear deflector 51 which causes the flap to bend about the wick and yet does not interfere with its free passage. After the envelope flap has thus been moistened, a return movement of the roller thereover causes the latter to press the flap down on the body of the envelope.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art Without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. An envelope sealing device comprising a carrier frame having an upstanding yoke provided with an open lower end, an up standing moistener at one side of the yoke, and means at the lower open end of the yoke transversely thereto for elevating an envelope flap and presenting its adhesive to the moistener.

2. An envelope sealing device comprising a movable carrier frame, having an upstanding yoke provided with an open lower end, a substantially horizontal supporting and sealing roller mounted on the frame at one side of the yoke, and an upstanding moistener located at the other side of the yoke and operating on the adhesive of an envelope flap that passes through the yoke when the carrier frame is moved in one direction, said roller acting to movably support the frame on its movement in both directions and acting to seal the moistened flap on the movement of the frame in the opposite direction to that in which the flap is moistened.

3. An envelope sealing device comprising a handled movable carrier frame including a pair of yokes located side by side, a roller journaled in one of the yokes at one side of he other yoke, and a moistener located at the other side of said other yoke and acting to moisten an envelope flap when the carrier is moved in one direction, said roller acting to movably support the frame on its movement in both directions and acting to seal the moistened flap on the movement of the frame in the opposite direction to that in which the flap is moistened.

4. An envelope sealing device comprising a movable carrier frame having an upstanding yoke having an open lower side to admit the flap of an envelope, a substantially horizontal supporting and sealing roller journaled at the lower end of one arm of the yoke and acting to support the frame in its back and forth movement, a font mounted on the other arm of the yoke, and an upstanding moistening pad at the inner side of said latter arm.

5. An envelope sealing device comprising a carrier frame having an upstanding yoke having a lower open portion providing a pas sageway for the envelope flap, a substantially horizon al supporting roller journaled at the lower end of one arm of the yoke and extending away from the same, a moistener on an arm. of the yoke, and a flap elevating device located at the lower end of the yoke transversely thereof and of the roller and portion of the leg, and means for guiding an having an advance portion operating to eleenvelope flap alongside and against the exvate the flap and direct it into the yoke and POSed p0rt10n 0f the wlck.

against the moistener.

6. An envelope sealing device comprising a carrier frame having an upstanding yoke having an open lower portion providing a passageway for the envelope flap, a substantially horizontal supporting roller ournaled at the lower end of one arm of the yoke and extending away from the same, a moistener on an arm of the yoke, and a flap bending device extending rearwardly of the yoke and offset therefrom to bend the flap against the moistener.

7. An envelope sealing device comprising a carrier frame having an upstanding yoke having a lower open portion providing a passageway for the envelope flap, a substantially horizontal supporting roller ournaled at the lower end of one arm of the yoke and extending away from the same, a moistener on the other arm of the yoke, a flap elevating device located at the lower end of the yoke transversely thereof and having a portion, in advance of the yoke operating to elevate the flap and direct it into the yoke and against the moistener, and a flap bending device located in rear of the yoke and offset therefrom to bend the flap against the moistener.

8. A travelling frame including a pair of upstanding yokes located side by side, a handle for holding and operating the structure mounted on the frame, a roller journaled on the side arms of one of the yokes, the lower end of the other yoke being located at one end of the roller and open to permit the passage of an envelope flap, a font carried by the outer arm of said other yoke, a moistening pad carried by said arm and moistened from the font, a flap elevating finger at the lower end of the pad and extending transversely of the outer arm of the second yoke, and a flap bending bracket extending outwardly and rearwardly from the inner arm of the second yoke and acting to bend the enevelope flap against the pad.

9. An envelope sealing device including a movable frame having a supporting and sealing roller, a tubular voke at one end of the frame and supported thereby, a reservoir supported on one leg of the yoke, and a wick in the yoke engaged in the reservoir and having an exposed portion adapted to beengaged by an envelope flap passed alongside the same.

10. An envelope sealing device including a movable frame having a supporting and seal ing roller, a tubular yoke at one end of the frame and supported thereby, a reservoir supported on one leg of the yoke, the other leg of the yoke having a cut-away portion, a wick in the yoke engaged in the reservoir and having a portion exposed at the cutaway In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM H. BRYSON. 

